Grant praise for 'brave' Lampard

Avram Grant paid an emotional tribute to Frank Lampard after he guided Chelsea to the Champions League final six days after his mother's death.

Lampard's extra-time penalty helped the Stamford Bridge club to a 4-3 aggregate victory over Liverpool and the Chelsea boss said: "Frank is a brave man.

"Frank was very close to his mother and what has happened to him over the last few days has not been easy.

"He played extremely well and is a little bit happy now."

An emotional Lampard celebrates his crucial injury-time goal

On his return from compassionate leave, the midfielder calmly converted his spot kick before wheeling away on an emotional celebration.

After kissing the black armband worn in tribute to his mother, Pat, he pointed to his father, Frank senior, in the crowd in a sentimental moment.

Lampard walked from the pitch to tumultuous applause when he was replaced by Andriy Shevchenko shortly before the final whistle.

And Grant added: "It was his decision to play and he played extremely well. We spoke about it yesterday and it was decided he should play then."

Grant had his own reasons for celebrating Chelsea's historic victory.

At the final whistle the Blues manager knelt on the pitch and offered a prayer in remembrance of his family members killed in the Holocaust.

We have created history and I am very proud we did it my way

Chelsea boss Avram Grant

The Israeli is due to visit the concentration camp at Auschwitz on Thursday to commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day.

"It was not an easy day for me," he said. "It is Holocaust Day in my country and I was thinking of my father, who buried my grandfather with his own hands, and I am very proud of what we did.

"It was very emotional. I owe a lot to my parents. My father survived the Holocaust and had to bury many of his family but he is the strongest and most optimistic man I have ever met."

Grant controversially replaced Jose Mourinho in September 2007, less than three months after joining Chelsea as director of football.

Mourinho won successive Premier League titles in 2005 and 2006, and reached two Champions League semi-finals, but Grant has now led Chelsea to a first ever final in Europe's elite club competition.

Grant celebrates at the final whistle

Liverpool beat Chelsea at the semi-final stage in the 2005 and 2007 and Grant said he was proud to have achieved something predecessor had failed to manage.

"There's only one 'special one'," he joked.

"But this was special against Liverpool. They are a fantastic team and Rafa played tactically. You need to be clever against him but we did it.

"We have created history and I am very proud we did it my way. But I don't like to say 'I' because (owner) Roman (Abramovich), he created this club, my staff are excellent, my assistants, everybody."

"To create history at this club in my first year as manager, with all the difficulties we have had...we stuck together and did everything like I like to do things - in a positive way with a lot of thinking and it means a lot to me."

Having been a losing semi-finalists in three of the last four years, captain John Terry felt his side deserved their place in Moscow on 21 May.

"It's fantastic. I think we've fully deserved it over the years," he said before paying tribute to Lampard.

"What a character he is. It's been a terrible week for him and his family.

"Frank played very well and in my opinion was one of our key players today. It is not an easy thing he is under. He gave everything to the team."

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